


Lilacs

by SydAce



Series: Final Fantasy VII Oneshots/Drabbles/Short Series [4]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Flowers, Fluff, Lilacs, Mutual Pining, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:20:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24210487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SydAce/pseuds/SydAce
Summary: "So!” Aerith clapped her hands together. The bandwagon of misfits and yourself looked up from the flickering flames of the campfire and towards the florist. “What is everyone’s favorite flower?”
Relationships: Vincent Valentine/Reader
Series: Final Fantasy VII Oneshots/Drabbles/Short Series [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1751617
Comments: 2
Kudos: 58





	Lilacs

"So!” Aerith clapped her hands together. The bandwagon of misfits and yourself looked up from the flickering flames of the campfire and towards the florist. “What is everyone’s favorite flower?”

“Why kind of question is that?” Cid scoffed while taking a puff from a cigarette.

“Come on, let’s get to know each other a bit more, it’ll be fun. Just answer the question!” Aerith pouted.

Cid rolled his eyes. “Fine. Roses.”

Vincent snorted. “Didn’t think of you as a roses man, Cid.”

“Shut up!” Cid barked and squashed his cigarette into the dirt underneath him. “It was the only flower I could think of off the top of my head. You go then, since you’re the obvious flower connoisseur.”

Vincent hummed quietly to himself, thinking over the various flowers he had limited knowledge over. “Chamomile.”

“The fucking tea?” Cid sighed. “That ain’t a flower.”

“It actually is,” Aerith said with a light laugh. “A lot of flowers have medicinal properties. What about you Nanaki?”

Nanaki lifted his head and flicked his tail from side to side. “Paintbrush, I suppose. They grow around the rims of Cosmo Canyon in June and July. Grandpa always gets excited when they start to bloom.”

“Oh! Were they those red ones we saw?” Tifa questioned. Nanaki merely nodded his head before laying it back on his paws. “Those were pretty.” Tifa leaned back with a small grin. “I think my favorite type of flower would have to be the lily Cloud gave me after he met you, Aerith. It was just a forecast of the friendship we’d have.”

Aerith grinned widely at Tifa. “I’m glad I managed to talk Cloud into taking it. He almost refused. But those are my favorite, too. Cloud, I know you said you didn’t have a favorite back in Midgar. Have you had a change of heart?”

Cloud sighed and rubbed his forehead. “I guess? Cherry blossoms are fine.”

“Marlene likes cherry blossoms, too,” Barret chimed in. “Though, she’s only seen pictures of them. She was too little to see any near Corel and they just don’t grow in Midgar. But daisies are her favorite. Just as well. Dyne and I would always bring our wives a bouquet of daisies whenever we’d have to leave town. I’m sure Marlene must remember those even if she was just a baby. So I guess those are my favorite, too. When this is all over, Imma get Marlene her own bouquet of daisies.”

“I’m sure she’ll love it,” you piped up. “But I have a feeling she’ll love seeing you more.” Barret flashed you a small smile, but his bottom lip trembled ever so slightly. He took a deep breath and slipped his sunglasses back on his face. You sat up straight. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to--.”

“Don’t be,” Barret said with a shaky breath. “Just miss my little girl is all.”

“Well, I think you’re all wrong!” Yuffie exclaimed, growing uncomfortable that Barret was starting to cry. “Hibiscus flowers are the best.”

“Jasmine flowers are better,” Cait Sith argued, obviously trying to rile up the ninja. Yuffie squatted down to the cat’s level and growled at him.

“Anyways,” Aerith sighed and looked towards you. “What’s your favorite flower, [Y/N]?”

“Hmm?” You managed to tear your eyes away from the impending catfight. Vincent straightened up and turned his gaze towards you with his full attention. “Lilacs have always been my favorite.” You turned your attention back to the campfire, getting lost in your thoughts as Yuffie and Cait Sith brawled and the others stood by as it happened.

\--

“Aerith,” a deep voice sounded.

The florist turned and greeted the man with a warm smile. “What can I do for you, Vincent?”

“I was…” he paused and shifted so his cloak was covering part of his face. “I was hoping you could help me with something?”

“Hmm, let me think!” Aerith chimed and tapped her chin with a finger. “You want me to tell you more about lilacs, is that right?”

Vincent visibly tensed up, causing a light laugh to escape Aerith’s mouth. “Is it that obvious?”

“Not really, I just have a knack for telling these kinds of things. So does everyone else but [Y/N], apparently!” Aerith rocked back and forth on her feet with her hands behind her back. “But you know, I’m pretty sure [Y/N] feels the same way.”

Vincent rose his head out of his cloak with wide eyes. “They do?”

“Mmhmm.” Aerith nodded her head. “Now, about the lilacs. They grow in temperate areas further north. Rocket Town or Kalm might have some. But they only bloom two to six weeks every year, so you have a limited window to get them. I’m afraid most florists don’t sell them either.”

“I see,” Vincent sighed. His hopes came crashing down.

“But you know, they should start blooming soon if they haven’t already! So we should go and get some!”

“Why didn’t you start with that?”

“I wanted to have some fun.”

\--

Vincent kept repeatedly checking on the trimming he had. It had a plastic bag filled with water to ensure the plant would make it back towards the group. Luckily, they weren’t too far away from Rocket Town. The group was just south of Nibelheim, so the flowers didn’t have time to welt.

Aerith led Cid and Vincent back towards the makeshift campsite where the rest of the group waited. Tifa looked up and waved at the trio before turning back to you.

“I’m sure he’ll love it!” she encouraged.

In your hands, you held a box wrapped in tulle. The tulle was held together with a ribbon. Small chamomile flowers were intertwined within it. You looked down at the box, up to Tifa, and over towards the approaching Vincent.

“I don’t know, what if he just likes the flower and not the tea?”

“He was the only one that drank the tea Shera made us and seemed happy doing so. Well, as happy as Vincent can seem.”

“Right,” you said with a sigh.

“Come on, you can do this!” Tifa pushed you over towards the trio before nearly making you collide with Vincent.

Vincent quickly moved the bag behind him and looked at you with bewilderment. You gazed up at his red eyes and straightened up, feeling embarrassed at your near collision.

“Umm, while you were gone helping Cid retrieve some of his stuff, I uh,” you stammered and felt as if your tongue was purposefully trying to trip you through your sentence. “I got you this!” You closed your eyes tightly and held out the box towards him.

Vincent looked down at the box and blinked. The bag was taking up both of his hands, so he just awkwardly stood there, trying to figure out what to do. After a minute, you opened your eyes with the box still in your hands. You felt a pang of pain shoot through your heart.

“I uh…Sorry. You don’t have to take it…” You moved the box closer to you.

“No!” Vincent started. “My hands are full. Cid wasn’t getting anything from Rocket Town. We went for this.” Vincent moved the bag of lilacs out from behind him. “These are for you.”

Your eyes widened at the sight of the freshly bloomed lilacs. You moved the box to one hand and gently took the bag of lilacs. The flowers were proudly on display out of the bag. You moved them up to your face and inhaled their sweet scent.

“Thank you so much,” you said while trying not to cry. “I love them.” Vincent smiled softly at you. It was a sight you’ve never seen from him. You loved his smile more than the lilacs. “Oh, and this. If you want it.” You held out the box towards him.

Vincent took the box from you and rested it in the palm of his gauntlet. With his right hand, he collected the flowers and saved them before unwrapping the tule. Once the fabric was no longer obscuring the box, there was a box of dried chamomile, perfect for teas.

“Tifa helped me dry them,” you said softly. “I hope it’s okay.”

“It’s perfect,” he replied. “Thank you.” He stood silent for a moment. The conversation he had with Aerith several days ago replayed in his mind. “I love it, [Y/N].” He took a deep breath and made eye contact with you. “I love it even more because it’s from the person I love.”

Heat flooded your face. With a sharp inhale, you gently placed the lilacs on the ground and swung your arms around his body. Tears of joy fell from your eyes. “And I love the lilacs more because they’re from the person I love.”


End file.
